The Denver Nuggets have been uber-aggressive this offseason, as their new front office regime attempts to build a true title contender around Nikola Jokić in a loaded Western Conference.
Denver's stunning decision to trade Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Cam Johnson on Monday got the ball rolling, and their signing of former team member and 2023 NBA champion Bruce Brown along with a trade for veteran center Jonas Valančiūnas effectively added even more hope for a dominant run in 2025-26.
The Nuggets established themselves as one of the outright winners of the 2025 NBA offseason in its early stages, and the franchise might have a chance to build upon their success even further.
According to a recent update, the Nuggets could be viewed as potential suitors to land 9-time All-Star and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member Damian Lillard after his unprecedented departure from the Milwaukee Bucks via waive-and-stretch.
"If your goal is to win a title, playing with the best player in the world makes a lot of sense," CBS Sports' Sam Quinn wrote Wednesday.
"Denver took a meaningful step forward by swapping Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson on Monday, but bringing in Lillard would give them enough upside to really threaten Oklahoma City (Thunder) in the playoffs."
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
"They took the Thunder to seven last year despite barely having any supporting offense. Lillard would obviously have a chance to fix that if healthy, whether that's this year or next."
Though he'll possibly miss out on the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign, the Nuggets' possible acquisition of Lillard for a premium price could set the team up for a magnificent 2026-27.
The 34-year-old will continue to rehab a torn Achilles suffered during the 2025 postseason, but the Nuggets won't necessarily have to worry about paying the 7-time All-NBA Team selection due to Milwaukee's decision to pay Lillard an annual salary of $22.5 million for the next half-decade.
With no worries regarding his finances, Lillard could easily join the Nuggets on a cheap deal to help the team capture its second title in franchise history in the near future.
In 58 regular-season appearances for the Bucks in 2024-25, the former Portland Trail Blazers legend contributed 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds on a 54.7% effective field goal percentage, earning his second consecutive All-Star nod with the franchise.
Lillard's placement on the open market and the Nuggets' clear all-in mentality could certainly prove to be a match, giving the group a shot to stand out even further in their conference and the future Hall of Fame inductee a chance to capture a championship ring that has eluded him for 13 years.
More NBA: Former NBA All-Star gives Damian Lillard strong message about potentially signing with Celtics